Topomax

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Jkowals123
Jkowals123 Posts: 133 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone used this drug for weight loss?
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  • alyssa0061
    alyssa0061 Posts: 652 Member
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    Are you talking about Topamax? I took it for severe migraines. My sister is on it for seizures. The side effects to that medicine are nothing to mess around with. I had to stop taking it they were so bad. My sister does have a suppressed appetite but eating makes her feel very ill. I never experienced that. But I can't imagine taking it voluntarily
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    While topamax can decrease appetite, I really wouldn't suggest it for weight loss. I was on it for a short time as a mood stabilizer for bipolar. It made my mental function so cloudy that I couldn't focus and was struggling to find words when I was speaking. There is a reason it is nick named dopamax.

    Honestly, the side effects aren't worth it.
  • Jkowals123
    Jkowals123 Posts: 133 Member
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    I know I have bipolar ll disorder and this drug acts similar to lithium except without the weight gain! It actually calms me but my brain works differently then most.
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
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    The best way to lose weight is to put yourself in a calorie deficit. Put your stats into MFP and trust the process.
  • Anabug81
    Anabug81 Posts: 161 Member
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    I have been taking it for over a year and it has helped me a lot with keeping my appetite under control. I have bi polar disorder and take other meds that cause weight gain. With this medication I have not gained any weight and have been able to lose some weight.
  • bramirez924
    bramirez924 Posts: 2 Member
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    combined with Phentermine it can aid in weight loss. The side effects of Topamax are no joke! I was prescribed a combo of Phentermine/Topamax and after 3 weeks had to stop the Topamax due to developing a rare side effect of Burning Mouth Syndrome. It was horrible!! I did lose 9lbs the last week but that was due to not being able to eat or drink anything.
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
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    Be careful with Topamax. I took a high dose for seizures and the side effects can range from very unpleasant to life threatening. I lost a ridiculous amount of weight while on it (30lbs the first month) because it killed my appetite and food was not remotely appealing while on it. Yes, I lost a lot of weight but I also lost a lot of muscle, which is terrible. I had to set reminders and force myself to eat. I had constant dry mouth while on it, along with the inability to regulate my temperature, so I failed to sweat when doing anything exerting, and almost had to go to the hospital a few times. The pins and needles feelings in my hands and feet would wake me up at night. It made me so mentally slow that there were times I could have told you my name if you asked (really not exaggerating), and I got kidney stones because you're supposed to drink a lot of water while taking it, and well, it killed my desire to consume anything. This isn't a complete list, but wanted to give you a heads up. In my opinion it's pretty dangerous. Make sure you drink enough water - set reminders on your phone if you have to. While using it try to learn decent eating habits because when you get off it your appetite will come right back, along with the weight of you don't modify your eating habits. I also recommend frequent visits to the doctor to check kidney function while you stay on it. I was on it for about four months I think and couldn't take it any longer. I think I decided to quit when the kidney pain became an all the time thing and my hair started to fall out. Good luck!
  • alyssa0061
    alyssa0061 Posts: 652 Member
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    MorganMoreaux wrote: »
    Be careful with Topamax. I took a high dose for seizures and the side effects can range from very unpleasant to life threatening. I lost a ridiculous amount of weight while on it (30lbs the first month) because it killed my appetite and food was not remotely appealing while on it. Yes, I lost a lot of weight but I also lost a lot of muscle, which is terrible. I had to set reminders and force myself to eat. I had constant dry mouth while on it, along with the inability to regulate my temperature, so I failed to sweat when doing anything exerting, and almost had to go to the hospital a few times. The pins and needles feelings in my hands and feet would wake me up at night. It made me so mentally slow that there were times I could have told you my name if you asked (really not exaggerating), and I got kidney stones because you're supposed to drink a lot of water while taking it, and well, it killed my desire to consume anything. This isn't a complete list, but wanted to give you a heads up. In my opinion it's pretty dangerous. Make sure you drink enough water - set reminders on your phone if you have to. While using it try to learn decent eating habits because when you get off it your appetite will come right back, along with the weight of you don't modify your eating habits. I also recommend frequent visits to the doctor to check kidney function while you stay on it. I was on it for about four months I think and couldn't take it any longer. I think I decided to quit when the kidney pain became an all the time thing and my hair started to fall out. Good luck!

    Yes, yes, yes.

    Please listen to what everyone is saying about the side effects.
  • ctoavs76
    ctoavs76 Posts: 30 Member
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    My doctor put me on it for the horrible migraines I was getting. In the beginning, it made me not as hungry, but now my appetite is back to normal. The only thing that has changed is I can't stand the taste of carbonated drinks. They taste like a**, for lack of a better term. I didn't get any of the other side effects, but no two people are going to react the same. It has stopped me from having several migraines a week. I now get maybe one every three or four months. For me, the benefits outweigh the risks, but if I didn't have to take it, I wouldn't actively be seeking it for weight loss. I can lose weight burning more calories than I consume with no risk of side effects.
  • PurringMyrrh
    PurringMyrrh Posts: 5,296 Member
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    DON'T DO IT! Been there, done that, worst drug ever.

    Just eat healthy and exercise...unless you want to feel like a dying space cadet every waking moment.
  • coops170
    coops170 Posts: 4 Member
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    Yes to all these posts! I was on it for migraines as well. Yes I lost weight effortlessly but it made me stupid and gave me neuropathy in my fingers and toes. I was constantly struggling to find my words, they say it's like the word is always on the tip of your tongue but you can never get it out. It made me slow minded and God knows I don't need more of that. It came with a few other side effects like dry mouth and unbalance, not to mention it cost a fortune for me, even with my insurance. I finally made myself quit... Dr's shouldn't just be handing this med out like candy!
  • LBuehrle8
    LBuehrle8 Posts: 4,044 Member
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    God this drug sounds absolutely horrific! Even people taking it for actual disorders wouldn't recommend it! Scary!
  • starwhisperer6
    starwhisperer6 Posts: 402 Member
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    Yep I was on it for migraines too, Made me stupid, and forgetful, and then what finally made me quit (forgetting to set my parking break and having my car drift across a huge parking lot was mostly just funny) was when my fingers started moving without me telling them too, I looked like I was playing air piano anytime I was sitting still, and when I ask the doctor about that one I was told I would need to take a second pill to combat that because if left untreated it can become permanent. In the long run I decided to just medicate the migraines as they come along.
  • Wombat468
    Wombat468 Posts: 191 Member
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    I was on it too, and the cognitive slowness was horrific. Also, all the skin peeled off the soles of my feet, and I had to be prescribed anti-emetics to stop the horrendous nausea during the first month or two. Don't do it.
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,196 Member
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    I was on it briefly for neurological issues.

    NOT fun...I can't imagine taking it if you are not using it to treat a life-threatening issue.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
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    PurringMyrrh wrote: »
    DON'T DO IT! Been there, done that, worst drug ever.

    Just eat healthy and exercise...unless you want to feel like a dying space cadet every waking moment.

    But she's bipolar, and it's a valid treatment option.

    I had a friend take this for her bipolar disorder. She didn't lose weight on it, but she did develop a potassium issue and had to be hospital. Not sure if they're related. She also never could drink any carbonated beverage again and stopped smoking. So technically those helped her be healthier overall.
  • Scrappincarla
    Scrappincarla Posts: 52 Member
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    I'm with all the posters who said to stay away from it! I was on it for years for my chronic migraines, and not only did the drug do NOTHING for my migraines, but it made me so stupid (and no, I'm not stupid normally) that once I went on an errand to a hardware store, with my 9 year old son in the back seat, and literally COULD NOT REMEMBER WHERE IT WAS in relation to the street I was on. My brain had literally shut down. My son knew where the store was and had to tell me. I was so embarassed, but I know it was the drug. Because as soon as I stopped taking it my brain returned to normal. If you google the drug, you'll see tons of people saying it makes you stupid.
  • Shells918
    Shells918 Posts: 1,070 Member
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    Been taking it for 10 years for migraines and it changed my life. The side effects were horrific at first but went away after I was stabilized on my dose. I lost weight in the beginning but not anymore. It was worth it to go from 20+ migraines a month to 2 per month but to add phentermine side effects to it sounds more scary.
  • ccjlgrider
    ccjlgrider Posts: 49 Member
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    Topamax is the devil. Took it briefly for migraines and worsened them. Made me develop right arm and leg numbness due to a progression of my migraine. I also had an episode where I couldn't speak for about 30 secs (also due to making my migraine situation worse). I felt like I was falling backwards when I'd lay down. I cried to my husband because I was so scared on it. The night of the episode where I couldn't speak was the last time I took it. I will NEVER take it again. NEVER. I take other meds for my migraines now and they work great.
  • smithmarsha11
    smithmarsha11 Posts: 1 Member
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    Totally agree that the drug can decrease appetite at the expense of brain function. It is an antipsychotic that is not to be messed with. took it for a few years for migraines and essential tremors. Decided the side effects were worse than the pain of migraines and tremors

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